interval

noun

ˈin-tər-vəl How to pronounce interval (audio)
Definition of intervalnext
1
as in interruption
a break in continuity there were intervals of thousands of years between the major ice ages

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) unable to find my way out of the maze, I cheated and squeezed through a convenient interval in the hedge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of interval For example, the Commonwealth has never delineated the exact interval of time between Patrick leaving the home and Clancy falling out the window. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026 Remarkably, after more than a 40-year interval, Tursi was able to track down one of the hostage takers to get his recollections of that fateful day. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026 Put a handful in a pint-size Mason jar and melt in 30-second intervals. — Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026 Small tests on low-signal brands can produce intervals too wide to act on. — Tobin Thomas, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for interval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interval
  1. interruption
  2. gap
  3. hiatus
  4. hole
  5. pause
Noun
  • The explosions provide different interruptions, punctuating the moment as one of Keeley’s ideas plays out in real time.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The state also acknowledged technical interruptions affecting some schools during this year’s testing window.
    — Katie Pace Miles, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • That’s not an easy gap to close, especially in a state with strict budget caps.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • Who cares who is on the bill at Daisy Chain Fields next year, if heat stroke is taking a hiatus?
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • During something of an unofficial hiatus, James was busy with solo material.
    — Ryan Leas, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiatus
Noun
  • McIlroy surged into the top-10 on Saturday with a 7-under 63, powered by nine birdies, including three in his final four holes.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers engineered an additional GaN layer that naturally creates a second sheet containing mobile holes, called a two-dimensional hole gas, or 2DHG.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • The Appalachian Trail Conservancy defines a thru-hike as completing all of the trail’s sections in any order within a year, allowing for pauses.
    — Holly Ramer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This summer's pause in data reporting for Somalia came at a particularly precarious time.
    — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of pause

Browse Nearby Words

intertwists
interval
intervals
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Cite this Entry

“Interval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interval. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on interval

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about interval

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